hockey and lacrosse (Read 881 times)

Since joining this site a few weeks back, I have learned that in order to improve my racing I need to improve my base by increasing my weekly mileage. However, I struggle to find the time to get in the 35-40 MPW that seems to be magic number. However, I always make time for sports and year round I play hockey twice a week (sometimes three) for an hour each time at a pretty high level and from June through August I play lacrosse twice a week in a pretty competitive league (I'm a long pole midfielder so each game requires at a minimum 10-20 50-75 yd flat out sprints and 10-20 80% 50-75 yd runs and jogging for another 20 minutes broken up standing on the sideline). How much do you think these activities contribute to building a base. .... in other words, can these activities be translated into mileage? Thanks for the help!

I play hockey twice a week most of the year, usually late on Thurs. and early on Sunday. Most of the time I'll take my long run on Sat. and use Sun. hockey as an active recovery day. And my Friday runs are an easy day, helping me recover from the lack of sleep the night before. I find my Wed. run has little effect on my performance the following night on the ice, so I don't worry much about what I do that day.
I think of hockey days as easy, LHR days. Or as an opportunity to get two workouts in if I skate early enough in the day.
This time of year, I'm not trying to run as much as you, as I think I'm more worried about not playing well in net. As a goalie, if I have an off game, everyone knows. When hockey is slows to once a week in the summer, I consider it an active, off day from running, and don’t consider it part of mileage.
Hope this helps, or somebody else has an opinion.

Since joining this site a few weeks back, I have learned that in order to improve my racing I need to improve my base by increasing my weekly mileage. However, I struggle to find the time to get in the 35-40 MPW that seems to be magic number. However, I always make time for sports and year round I play hockey twice a week (sometimes three) for an hour each time at a pretty high level and from June through August I play lacrosse twice a week in a pretty competitive league (I'm a long pole midfielder so each game requires at a minimum 10-20 50-75 yd flat out sprints and 10-20 80% 50-75 yd runs and jogging for another 20 minutes broken up standing on the sideline). How much do you think these activities contribute to building a base. .... in other words, can these activities be translated into mileage? Thanks for the help!

I don't think hockey does squat for building a base. I wish it did, but even pickup where you play a 2 minute shift is, at best, working on VO2 max (hockey players on average have the highest VO2 max of any sport). Last year I played on a team where we never had more than 8 or 9 guys and often only 6 or 7, so I never came off the ice. Still apples and oranges. I consider hockey my "rest" day activity. Running also leaves me with tired legs sometimes.